Seed E-News

May 7, 2004

ASTA 121st Annual Convention
You can now register on-line for the Annual Convention in Philadelphia in June. To register, please follow this link Registration. Registrants should be aware that on May 21, 2004, registration fees for members and non-members will increase. You are encouraged to register early to take advantage of the reduced fees. For more information about the Annual Convention, please see the links in Upcoming Events at the foot of the page.

ASTA Officers 2004-2005
The nominating committee presents the following slate of officers for the year 2004-05, to be voted on at the annual meeting in Philadelphia:

Any Active member intending to nominate a candidate for any office from the floor must first obtain (in writing) agreement from the proposed nominee and the nominee's employer indicating support for the nomination and accepting the obligation of the expense and the time commitment required to properly fulfill the responsibility required by the office, if elected. Such nomination shall be subscribed to by at least three Active members in good standing at the time of the annual meeting. Any candidate wishing to do so shall be afforded reasonable opportunity at the annual meeting to communicate their qualifications for office to the members and solicit vote. The Chairman shall have authority to determine the amount of time each candidate will be given at the podium to present their statement. The written approval required shall be presented to the chairperson of the Nominating Committee, Nathan Boardman, Crosbyton Seeds, by the person making the nomination at least 30 days prior to the annual meeting.

ASTA Produce Industry Panel
Rod Stacey of Verdant Partners, LLC will be moderating a Produce Industry Panel at the ASTA Annual Convention in Philadelphia in June. There will be three panelists. The first, as yet unnamed, will look at the current marketplace for produce and what factors are driving consumer needs. He will also explain and give examples of what the retailers are doing to respond to these needs and what they in turn need from the grower/shippers and the genetics providers to do so. The second panelist, Nick Tomkins, CEO of Apio, Inc., will discuss the grower/shipper response to these demands. The third panelist, Dr. Ed Green, VP Research at Seminis Vegetable Seeds, will deal with the seed industry response to these changes particularly the continuous need to shift towards more and more specialized products through genetics and other technology. Rod Stacey will then chair a Q&A session. He is encouraging the panelists to be candid in order to promote discussion.

Prior Notice of Imported Food
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has prepared a second issue of a Question and Answer Guide for industry on the requirements for prior notice of imported food. The guide can be accessed by following this link FDA Guidance for Industry. The section dealing with seeds is set out below:

Seeds (Definition):

4.1 [Question/response added April 2004] Are seeds subject to prior notice requirements?

Whether the seeds are subject to prior notice depends on whether the seeds meet the definition of food. FDA considers a seed to be food if it will be used for food or if any of the persons involved in importing or offering the product for import (e.g., the submitter, transmitter, manufacturer, grower, shipper, importer, owner, or ultimate consignee) reasonably believes that the substance is reasonably expected to be directed to a food use. So, for example, if the seed is for use in animal feed, the seed is food and prior notice is required (21 CFR 1.276(b)(5); 21 CFR 1.277(a)). Similarly, if the seed is to be used for human food, such as sesame seeds to be used in baking or oilseeds for processing into edible oil, then prior notice must be submitted to FDA before the seed is imported or offered for import into the U.S. If the seed will be used for the production of edible sprouts, such as alfalfa seeds for production of alfalfa sprouts, then you must provide prior notice to FDA before the seeds are imported or offered for import. By contrast, if you or any other person importing or offering the seed for import reasonably believe that the seed will be used only for cultivation (even if it is used to grow a plant that may subsequently be consumed as food), then prior notice is not required. [Emphasis added]

Canadian Seed Sector Review targets Regulatory Change
A Seed Sector Advisory Committee, formed by the Canadian Seed Growers Association, the Canadian Seed Trade Association, the Canadian Seed Institute and Grain Growers of Canada, has recommended major regulatory changes for Canadaâs seed sector. The committeeâs recommendations are contained in The Report of the Seed Sector Advisory Committee and can be accessed in PDP format by following this link Report. For more information, visit www.seedsectorreview.com. The web site will be open for comments on the report and its recommendations for a period of three months.

GM Crop Trials Underway Throughout Germany
When a field with GM wheat was destroyed this week in the east German state of Saxony-Anhalt, it was revealed that GM crops are being tested in no less than seven of Germany's 16 states. Previously, it was believed that only two outdoor trials with GM crops were underway in the country although it is reported that tests are being carried out at 29 locations. For more on this story, follow the link Deutsche Welle.

UC Davis to Help Promote GM Crops
Last summer, ASTA E-News reported a new initiative called the Public-Sector Intellectual Property Resource for Agriculture (PIPRA) that would facilitate access participants' current and future patented agricultural technologies and would look at ways of ensuring that new licensing agreements allow for the technologies to be used to fight global hunger and boost the U.S. domestic agricultural sector. Starting in July, the University of California, Davis, becomes home to PIPRA. To read more on this story, follow this link UC Davis. For more information on PIPRA, go to the website at www.pipra.org.

EU States Still Divided Over Lifting GMO Ban
In a vote on Friday, April 30, European Union farm ministers were again unable to break the deadlock on approving Monsantoâs NK603 maize for human consumption in processed foods such as starch and maize oils. The vote was split with eight countries in favor, five against and two abstentions. This was insufficient to secure approval. The issue will now be referred to the European Commission for a decision later this month or in early-June which will effectively end the EU's 5-year moratorium on GMOs. To read more, follow this link EU split.

China Clears GM Corn
China continues its active role in GMOs by clearing for import corn containing an insect resistant trait. The Herculex I trait, a Bt gene, is the first in a new generation of in- plant insect-protection traits for corn being developed in a research collaboration between Dow AgroSciences, a global leader in providing pest management and biotechnology products, and Pioneer Hi-Bred International, a leader in seed technology and seed products. For more, follow this link China.

Tanzania Looks Abroad for GM Advice
The government of Tanzania has asked 29 of its ambassadors based in foreign countries to seek scientific advice from such countries to help it pave the way for adopting GMOs.Ê To read more, follow this link Tanzania.

Watermelon Bacterial Fruit Blotch Seminar
The American Seed Trade Association and the California Crop Improvement Association are sponsoring a seminar on Watermelon Bacterial Fruit Blotch on June 3 in Tifton, GA. The seminar commences at 8:30 a.m. at the Coastal Plains Experiment Station, Tifton Campus, University of Georgia. It will feature talks, presentations and demonstrations by the country's top scientists and will take you beyond lab tests and into the legal and preventative issues. Topics and speakers will include:

• an update of watermelon fruit blotch research worldwide, R.R. Walcott University of Georgia.
• Legal issues with BFB, featuring Bob High with Judkins, Simpson & High, a law firm from Tallahassee, FL.
• A history of BFB in Georgia, plus diagnosing and identifying, by R.D. Gitaitis, University of Georgia.
• D.B. Langston and grower recommendations for managing watermelon fruit blotch in the field.
• Murali Bandla, Ph.D, Director R&D Agdia Inc., will discuss testing procedures.

The seminar costs $100 (lunch included) and spaces are going fast. To pre-register, contact Pablo Guzman, California Crop Improvement: 530-754-9649 or Jana Middleton, Harris Moran: 209-549-5215.

USDA Seek Nominations to Fill Vacancies on National Organic Standards Board
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on March 8 that it is seeking nominations to fill five upcoming vacancies on the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). Successful candidates will be appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman to serve a 5-year term of office commencing January 24, 2005, and terminating January 24, 2010. The NOSB is a 15-member board responsible for developing and recommending to the Secretary a proposed National List of Approved and Prohibited Substances. The NOSB also advises the Secretary on all other aspects of the National Organic Program.

USDA is asking for nominations to fill the following five upcoming NOSB vacancies: organic producer (two positions), organic handler, retailer, and environmentalist. To serve on the NOSB, an individual must be either an owner or operator of an organic production operation, an owner or operator of an organic handling operation, an individual who owns or operates a retail establishment with significant trade in organic products, or an individual with expertise in areas of environmental protection and resource conservation. USDA will follow equal opportunity practices in all appointments to the NOSB. Written nominations, accompanied by resumes, must be postmarked on or before June 14, 2004, and sent to:

Ms. Katherine E. Benham
Advisory Board Specialist, National Organic Program
USDA-AMS-TMP-NOP
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Room 4008-S, Ag Stop 0268
Washington, D.C. 20250

For more information, contact Ms. Katherine Benham on (202) 205-7806, by fax on (202) 205-7808 or by e-mail at katherine.benham@usda.gov. For more information on the National Organic Standards Board, check out the web site at www.ams.usda.gov/nosb/.

World Conference on Organic Seed
On July 5-7, 2004, a conference for stakeholders in the organic seed sector will be held at the headquarters of the United Nationsâ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome. Delegates are expected to include scientists, plant breeders, seed producers, farmers, certifiers, and others interested in organic farming and seed production. ASTA is represented on the conference organizing committee by Frederick 'Chip' Sundstrom of the California Crop Improvement Association. The conference is sponsored by the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM), the FAO and the International Seed Federation. The focus of the conference will be on the scientific and technical aspects of organic seed issues and participants will also evaluate regulatory requirements. Registration information and a provisional program can be found by visiting www.organicseedconf.org.

Industry People
If you have any personnel changes, or other developments in your company, that you would like included in E-News, please send details to ppatterson@amseed.org.

Upcoming Events

May 24-26, 2004
International Seed Federation Congress
Berlin, Germany
www.worldseed2004.com

June 27-30, 2004
121st ASTA Annual Convention
Wyndham Franklin Plaza
Philadelphia, PA
Tel: 1-888.890.7333
For more information on this joint meeting with the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies, please follow this link Speakers.

November 7-8, 2004
ASTA 50th Farm & Lawn Seed Conference
Westin Crown Center
Kansas City, MO

December 8-10, 2004
ASTA 34th Soybean & 59th Corn & Sorghum Conferences and Seed Expo 2004
Hyatt Regency Chicago
Chicago, IL
Tel: 1-888.890.7333

January 22-25, 2005
ASTA 44th Vegetable & Flower Conference
Grand Hyatt San Francisco
San Francisco, CA.

June 19-22, 2005
122nd ASTA Annual Convention
Sheraton Seattle Hotel and Tower
Seattle, WA

July 7-14, 2006
Joint ASTA-CSTA Annual Convention
Hyatt Regency Chicago
Chicago, IL